One Night With the Billionaire: Book Two (5 page)

“Two of my best guys - they’re in a car behind her. The driver knows not to lose them.”

“I don’t want her stalked, I just need her safe. Don’t violate her privacy, just-”

“We’ve got it handled, Sir,” Paul replies with confidence.
 

Jason knows this. He had a long discussion with Paul about what exactly he was expecting from him and his team when he asked for a small detail for Kaia.
 

He just…he has to make sure. He’ll never forgive himself if something happens to her. He can take someone coming after him, but not her. He won’t allow it.
 

If allowing himself a relationship with Kaia resulted in her getting hurt in any way…

Jason shakes his head, doesn’t let himself entertain thoughts like that.
 

Kaia has the best security in the world looking out for her, and for now that has to be enough.
 

It doesn’t take very long for Kaia and Jason to get into a routine. They see each other just about every night, have mind-blowing sex, and then lie in each other’s arms, talking about everything and nothing at all until sleep finally takes them.
 

The sex is great, it’s wonderful, but the after—when she’s wrapped up in the safety of Jason’s arms—that’s quickly becoming her favorite part. It’s when she learns the most about him, when he’s most willing to open up to her.
 

She learns little things about him: that he’s always hated Brussels sprouts, his favorite color is blue, he doesn’t like sitting next to the window on an airplane. He’s very slowly starting to open up to her about the big things, too, like the fact that his beloved grandmother died in a car accident when he was twelve, and that he set up a charity so he could anonymously donate money to employees who had sick children, and had difficulty paying their medical bills.
 

Every night she spends in his arms, she gets to know a little bit more about him.
 

Every night, she falls for him a little bit more. It’s happening fast, but Kaia’s so wrapped up in him and the euphoria she feels just being around him that she doesn’t stop to think about all that; she just wants
more
.
 

Tonight, they’re lying together in Jason’s bed, naked and sated. Jason is on his back, and Kaia’s all tucked up against his side, her head resting on his shoulder.
 

“I don’t want you seeing anyone else,” he says, out of the blue.
 

A short little thrill lights its way out to her fingertips and toes. “Yeah?”
 

The pillowcase ruffles as Jason nods. “Yeah.”
 

“And who are you seeing in this scenario?” she asks, aiming for teasing, but not quite sure she gets there.
 

“Just you. I only want to see you.”
 

The thrill intensifies, and Kaia can’t hide her smile. She doesn’t want to.
 

“Yeah? We’re making this official?” She’s teasing again, but there’s some truth in this question. Till now, their dates have consisted of dinner that’s been ordered in, and dark booths in the backs of exclusive restaurants where they sneaked in through the back door.
 

If they’re going to have a relationship, Kaia wants it to be something that’s out in the open, something that she can share.
 

Jason is quiet, and Kaia immediately knows she’s said something wrong.
 

“I was just teasing, I-”

“I know what this looks like,” he replies quietly, body tense.

“You’re a guy who used to show up in the tabloids with a different woman every night. To me, it looks like you’re trying to do things differently now.”
 

“I am,” he admits.
 

“I’m not going to pressure you into anything, but…I won’t hide. If that’s what you want me to do, if you’re looking for a secret, then-”

“I’m not, that’s not it. I just need a little more time before we…”

“Go public?”
 

Jason lets out a short huff of a laugh. “Yeah.”
 

“Okay, then.” She’s absentmindedly tracing one of the scars over Jason’s left pec.
 

“Why haven’t you asked me about them?” he asks, his voice rough and quiet.
 

“What?” She lifts her head, resting her chin on his chest.
 

“My scars,” he replies. “Why haven’t you asked me about them? Aren’t you curious?”
 

Kaia’s heart skips a beat. Should she be honest with him? She figures he’ll know if she’s lying, but she doesn’t want to offend him.
 

As if he can read her mind, he says, “Tell me the truth.”
 

He watches her with an intensity that she’s not used to, and it makes her shift a little beneath the sheets.
 

“Yes, I’m curious,” she replies, not wanting to expound upon her curiosity without being prompted.
 

“Then why haven’t you asked?”
 

Kaia shrugs. “I got the feeling that it was something you were self-conscious about, and the last thing I wanted to do was gawk at them, or treat them like they were some kind of exhibit. I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”
 

Kaia didn’t even realize his muscles had stiffened beneath her until she felt him relax.
 

“Did I say something wrong?”
 

Jason shakes his head, then leans in and presses a kiss against the top of Kaia’s head. “No. You didn’t.”

“Then what-”

“You’re the first person who’s acted like they weren’t there. I just wondered why.”
 

Kaia blanches. “Have women actually gawked at you?”
 

“Not exactly. But they have…examined them the first time they’ve seen them.”

Kaia feels anger rising up inside of her, unbidden. “No one deserves to be
examined
. No wonder you only had one-night stands.” She cringes when she says the words, even though she hears Jason laugh. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that.”
 

“It’s okay,” he says, sliding his fingertips up and down Kaia’s upper arm. “I haven’t only had one-night stands, though,” he admits.
 

Kaia’s eyebrows draw together. “You haven’t? I thought-”
 

“There was one woman,” he admits carefully. “My last year in college, before I moved here. It wasn’t serious, but it’s probably as close to serious as I’ve ever allowed myself to get.” His whole expression softens. “Before this.”

“What happened?” Kaia asks immediately, her curiosity getting the better of her. Whatever it was that happened, it clearly still weighs heavily on Jason’s mind, so Kaia quickly amends her question with, “You don’t have to answer that if you don’t want to.”
 

Jason considers that for a moment.
 

“I don’t want to get too deep into it, but she was curious about the scars, and when I told her the story behind them, she…she didn’t take it well.”
 

“That’s terrible. Was it...”
 

“Was it what?”
 

Kaia bites her lip, considers for a moment whether or not she should voice this particular question. She decides to risk it, mostly because she’s too curious not to.
 

“Was it somehow your fault?” That’s the only way Kaia can imagine someone getting upset over scars that look like his, because otherwise, how could you possibly blame someone for something that happened that ended up with their chest and back being riddled with scars?
 

Kaia actually hears Jason swallow in the quiet that stretches between them. Hesitation flits across his handsome face for just a moment before he shakes his head. “No, it wasn’t my fault.”
 

Kaia reaches over and cups his face, planting a soft kiss on his lips. “I’m sorry you told that story to someone who didn’t deserve to hear it.”
 

“Me too,” he replies, giving her a small smile.
 

“It’s scary to let people see the parts of yourself that you want to keep hidden. When you do that with a person who ends up not being who you thought they were, that makes you want to keep them all locked up for good.”
 

With an unreadable look on his face, Jason kisses her, long and lingering. “What about you?”
 

“My locked up parts?”
 

The corner of Jason’s mouth cocks up. “Yeah. Still under heavy duty lock and key?”
 

Kaia grins at him. “I don’t have anything like this,” she says, sliding her hand across his chest. “Seems silly in comparison.”
 

“Nothing about you is silly.”
 

“I had a great home life growing up, and I managed to go off to college without any major traumas. I’ve just had a few bad relationships and even worse breakups. My hangups are silly.”
 

“Bad relationships?” Jason asks, curious. He props himself up, a serious look in his eyes. “No one laid a hand on you, did they?”
 

“No,” Kaia replies quickly. “No, nothing like that. I mean bad as in dating a deadbeat kind of way. Men—or,
boys
I should say—who made it clear that they didn’t think I was anything special. It did a number on me for a while.”
 

Jason slides his fingers through Kaia’s hair, then tilts her head up and kisses her. “I think you’re something special.”
 

His voice is solemn and deep, and Kaia believes what he’s telling her. In fact, he’s made her feel this way ever since she ran into him on the sidewalk outside of his building, and she realizes this is probably one of the reasons she’s been so drawn to him since that morning.
 

The realization hits her hard, right in the chest.
 

“Thank you.” She nuzzles up against Jason’s side, resting her head on his chest, and traces another one of his scars.
 

“Did you want to tell me about them? Is that why you asked?” Again, she doesn’t want to push. But she’s incredibly hopeful that they’ve reached the point in their relationship or, whatever it is, that he’s willing to open up to her about them.
 

“No,” he says, his gaze intense.

Kaia feels a flush of embarrassment heating her cheeks. “Oh, I-”

Before she can finish her sentence, Jason crooks his fingers beneath her chin, and tilts her head up so she’s looking at him.
 

“Not yet. But soon,” he says. “Someday soon, I think.”
 

Kaia presses a kiss to the center of his chest, right above a knotted slash of scar tissue. “Whenever you’re ready.”
 

The air is thick with something that Kaia can’t quite name, and she’s desperate to break it up.
 

“I think they’re beautiful, for what it’s worth,” she says, not exactly sure what makes her say that, of all things. She props herself up on her arm, and traces her finger along the silvery skin of another scar, following the length of it across his flesh. “You survived. You lived. And look what you’ve done with your life. You didn’t let anything stop you, and that’s…it’s so brave, Jason. You’re gorgeous. All of you.”
 

Jason smiles. It’s one Kaia hasn’t ever seen before, one that’s so beautiful in its intensity that it makes her breath catch.
 

Jason leans down and claims her lips with his. The kiss is searing and intense, and Kaia slings her leg over his hips until she’s straddling him, his cock hard and ready, right where she needs him.
 

Jason grips Kaia’s hips to keep her still, his fingers pressing into her skin.
 

“
You’re
gorgeous,” he whispers, his hands sliding up to cup her breasts. His thumbs graze across her nipples, puckering the skin there, and Jason pushes himself up so he can take one in his mouth, then the other. “You’re so fucking gorgeous.”
 

Kaia thinks her heart might beat out of her chest just hearing those words from him. A compliment like that from a man like him, well…it sure gives a girl’s ego a boost.
 

“I want you to be mine,” he continues, kissing his way across the valley between her breasts, his stubble scratching her sensitive skin. “I don’t want anyone else to have you.”
 

“I’m yours,” she says. It’s not exactly the kind of relationship confirmation she was looking for, but in the heat of the moment, she’ll take it.
 

“You’re mine,” he repeats, a desperate look in his eyes.
 

“I’m yours.”
 

With that, Jason angles his hips and thrusts up, and Kaia closes her eyes against the sweet stretch as he fills her.
 

“Oh,
fuck
.” Jason wraps his arms around Kaia’s waist, and buries his face in the crook of her neck. “You feel so perfect, so…”